calamine has mildly astringent and cooling qualities, and is particularly useful for sunburned or irritated skin. Calamine is a mineral solution composed primarily of zinc oxide with the addition of approximately 0.5 percent ferric oxide.
Definition
1. A mineral
consisting of hydrated zinc silicate (2ZnO.
SiO2.H2O). It is also known as hemimorphite.
2. Zinc carbonate (ZnCO3), which occurs
naturally as a mineral also known as smithsonite.
The carbonate is used medicinally
in suspension as a soothing lotion for sunburn
and skin complaints. Formerly, the
natural mineral was used for this but now
medicinal calamine is made by precipitating
a basic zinc carbonate from a solution
of a zinc salt. It is usually colored pink by
the addition of small quantities of iron(III)
oxide.
Definition
calamine: A mineral form of zinccarbonate, ZnCO3 (smithsonite), althoughin the USA the same name isgiven to a hydrated zinc silicate(hemimorphite). The calamine usedmedicinally in lotions for treatingsunburn and other skin conditions isbasic zinc carbonate coloured pinkwith a trace of iron(III) oxide.
